HOSPITAL BOARD.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 2013, 28 July 1920, Page 7

HOSPITAL BOARD.

TODAY'S MEETING. The North Canterbury Hospital anfl Charitable Aid Board met this morning. There were present: Mr H. J. Otley (chairman), Mesdames Green, Herbert and Wilson, Messrs T. D. Boag.H. B. Sorensen, P. Horrell, A. Smith, F. Burfoyne, J. Stony, H. Paterson, W. P. peneer, P. G. Norton, S. Andrew and M. Bethel!.

A letter was received from the honorary staff, stating that the proposal to appoint an assistant surgeon and gynecologist had been considered. The staff considered that two assistant surgeons should be appointed, and also an assistant gynecologist. It also recommended the appointment of assistants to the Aural and Ophthalmic Department when it was possible to |do so, and that, in the making of these appointments, the recommendations of the honorary staff should bs taken into consideration by the board. —The suggestions were approved. . It was decided to reply to the Grey • Hospital Board that it could not sup- . port a proposal that the Government should appoint an architect whose ,-set* ." - vices would be available to hospital boards. The Hospital Committee reported sipce the last meeting that £709 0/7 bad been collected in fees from civilian patients, and £927 8/- from military patients, a total of £1636 8/7, as against' a total of £652 12/1 for the corresponding period last year. During . June, the average daily number of civilian patients was 258.73, and mili- ■ tary patients 64.23. In the Genite- v Urinary Department there,were 167 attendances, representing 61 patients, 31 of whom were new. Owing to the increase in all departmental cost,- it had been decided that the fees in the Dental Department for a full set of dentures should be £5 10/-, and other charges ;" raised in proportion. The . committee had considered the question of the appointment of assistant surgeons, on the honorary staff, and had decided to re- : fer the matter to the honorary staff. ■ for consideration. Arrangements had now been completed for continuing the Physio-Therapy Department in the Hos-, : pital. The staff would consist of:— T? 5 ' Captain J. Will and Sister S. L. Clark | (senior), Misses M. E. Martin, M. JleLean, E. Bead; N. Bobinson, I, Salter, ’ M. Symons, D. Wilson. The report was adopted. The medical superintendent’s report for June said that there were 344 patients from the previous month, 466 ,>"•< fresh patients had been admitted, 141 discharged, and 35 had died. Thera had been 466 iin-patients, thesb comprising 202 medical, 212 . surgical, 14 gynecological, and 38 ophthalmic. Three were awaiting admission. There had been 253 operations under anaesthetics. In the Pathological Department there were 1087 examinations. The total attendances in the Dental Department were 786.—The report was adopted. The Public Health Committee reported that, for the month of June, inspectors had inquired into 19 cases of 'scarlet fever, 30 of diphtheria, 29 of pneumonia, 66 of severe influenza, 20 1 of tuberculosis, nine of measles, one of typhoid, one of ophthalmia neonatorum, five of varicella, and" fwo of cerebrospinal meningitis. Besides these, there were 353 other inspections or inquiriGJ made. There were 26 eases of searletT — fever in the Infectious Diseases Hospital. —The report was adopted. The Medical Director of Tuberculosis Institutions reported that, at the Cashmere Sanatorium, 79 patients were in residence on June 30, and 46 at the Coronation Hospital. There had been 108 attendances at the dispensary. The nurse paid 61 visits to patients in. theif* homes.—The report was adopted.

The Finance Committee recommended that nurses' salaries should be defined as follow:—Sisters of special departments, other than night sisters or theatre sisters or those in charge of subsidiary hospitals of more than six and less than 15 beds, and that those in charge of hospitals of more than 15 and umler 120 beds should rank in the same grade as the assistant-matron of" themain hospital, with salaries from £175to £2OO per annum. Matrons or lady superintendents of main hospitals should, receive £250 to £350 per annum. It recommended that the salary of the Lady Superintendent at the Chnstchurch Hospital should be increased from £275 to £3OO per annum; that the salary of thesenior dental surgeon be increased from £440 to £475 per annum, and of the assistant dental surgeon from £357 to £375 per annum; that the X-ray operator's salary be increased from £278 to£4oo per annum, and that of the bacteriological assistant from £357 10/- to £4OO per annum'. —The report wa» adopted.